Extension device for flexible bracelets



E. L. JOHNSON ET AL EXTENSION DEVICE FOR FLEXIBLE BRACELETS Filed Aug. 27. 1926 Jan. 3, 192s. 1,654,732

A TTORNEYS.

I Patented Jan. A3, 1928. j u

Elin LVJOHISOl AND OLOF LUNDBTEN, OI ATTLEBOBO, IASSACHUSETTS.

liixriiiiaron n'iiv'icx ron rmixnimi iinaciimrrs,

- Application lleil Ang-ut 87, 199B. serial Io. 181,900.

This invention relates to an extension device orbracelets more particularl watch bracelets, for holding a wrist -watc to the arm of the wearer, and the object of this 1n- 5. vention'is to provide a plurality of sections liinged'together to be folded one upon the other1 to causethe bracelet to fit snugly to the l wrist of the wearer'and which may beunfolded to lengthen the bracelet to permit it to be withdrawn from the arm of the wearer over the hand without detachment of any of vthe parts, and in which simple and effective means between the side'edges of the sections are provided for retaining the sections in folded position. v.

`A further object of this invention is to provide means for adjusting the effective working length of the bracelet for adapting it toit wrists'of diiferentsizes.

invention consists `of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, andv particularly pointed'out in the' appended claims. In the accompanyiiig drawings Figure 1 is a. side elevation illustrating the improved devicein its relation to a wrist watch and bracelet. v

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the under side of the top section of the device.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the intermediate section. i

- Figure-4 is a perspective view of the bottom section of the device.

55 Figure 5 is a perspective view of the gripich is pivotally mounted in pin .member w the ottoni section. Figure 6 isa sectional side elevation of the assembly in closed osition with portions of 40 the bracelet attached thereto.

Figure 7 is a sectional side elevation of the saine showing the device partially unfolded.

Figure 8 is a sectional endelevation on line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of thesec? the 4tions partially unfolded' and showin s bracelet as attached to eachV of the en tions. l

Figure 10 is a perspective'view of a fragmental detail sh wingthe modification of a means for securing the bracelet to one of the end sectionsm-` h1 bracelet construction, espe- It is found in With these and other objects in view, the' vtensions or pins 22 of securely cially watch bracelets, desirableto rovide a device interposed between the en s of the watch bracelet by which the effective working length of watch snugly on the wrist of the wearer may be extended, to permit the bracelet .to be passed over the hand of the wearer, without detacliing any of the parts from each other or from the wristwatch. It is also found desirable to provide in one of the sect-ions of the extension device means by which the effective working length of the br'acelet may be adjusted to it different sized wrists of thel wearers; and in order to provide a device foraccoinplishing these results, we have constructed a plurality of sections which are hinged together to bevunfolded to end-to-end position to temporarily lengthen the bracelet, which sections may be folded one over the other 'and releasably and in one of the sections a gripper is mounted to grip the bracelet and releasably secure the samevin any adjusted position along the length of the section; and the following is a detailed'description of the present enibodiment'of this invention showing one construction of extension member by which these advantageous results may be accomplished.

-With reference to the drawings, 10 designates a wrist watch, to the balls of which bracelet parts 11 and 12 are attached by any suitable means. The bracelet may be o leather, mesh `fabric or any other suitable material; and between the ends of the parts 11 and 12 an extension device is lprovided which comprises a top section 14 having an held in folded position;4

integral bail l5 to which the end portion j of the part 11 is'secured by means of a loop 16 carried thereby. is of a shape similar to that of theto' tion 14 and has a bottom wall 18 an side walls 19, between'wliich side walls the exa gripper 2l are pivoted in the openings or bearings 20. The edge 23 of the gripper is turned downwardly and in such a position that when swun on the pivot pins 22, it moves toward or. rom the bottom portion 18'to engage the end portion 24 ofthe bracelet part 12 to force it into engagement with tie bottom ,wall 18 and hold the strap part in adjusted position in the section. It will be apparent that the gripper may be raised or swung about pivot 22, as illustrated in The bottom section 17 sec-v Figure 11,4

to release the strap part r24 and permit it to be moved further into or out of the section 17 as is desired, to adjust the wrist' size of the bracelet.`

The top and bottom sections of the device are connected together through an intermediate section 25 which is of sheet stock and provided with ears 26 having openings 27 to receive pivots 28 whichralso extend through and pivot in the openings 29 1n the side walls of the bottom section; while at its opposite end of the intermediate section ears 30 have openings 31 to recelve pivot pin 32 to hingedly connect that'end o the intermediate section to the top section in opening 33. It will thus be seen that by the hinge connection between the sections, they may be collapsed or folded one over the other, as will be clearly apparent from Figure 10. Further, the side walls of one of the channel-shaped end sections are ofla size to fit over sidel 4wallsl of the other end section whereby the folding of the device may be in compact form. In the present instance, the side walls of the top section receive the side walls o f the bottom section, as is illustrated in Figure 8. The sections are held in folded position by means'of a detent or projection 34 raised from stock of the gripper which snaps into o ening 35 in the mtermediate plate to re easably retain that end of the plate thereto; and when the sections are in folded position, the gripper is prevented from moving to released position.

In some instances, instead of providing a bail 15 inte al with the top section, a rivet 36 is rovitglxed, set inwardly slightly from the en of the section to extend through an eye or end-piece 37, as illustrated in Figure 10 to secure .the end of the bracelet thereto.

It will be understood, that inuse, the sections will each lbe slightly curved, as illustrated in Figure 1, but as the curvature performs no functional result in this construction, for the sake of convenlence, the illustration other than of Figure lis not shown on the arc of a circle.

From the foregoing it will be-seen that we have provided aplurality of sections which may be unfolded to temporarily lengthen the bracelet to permit it to be passed over the hand of the wearer, and in -which means are provided for securing the bracelet in any adjusted position whereby the bracelet may be adjusted to fit the wrist of the wearer. V The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but we desire it to be understood that we reserve the privilege of resortin to all the mechanical changes to which t e device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only bythe terms of the appended claims.v

e claim: I' 1. In a flexible bracelet, an extension deside walls,

vice comprising a plurality of sections hinged together to be unfolded to temporarily lengthen the bracelet, means for releasably securing said sections in folded posltion, means for securing the bracelet to one of said sections, a cam-acting gripper pivotally carried by the other of said sections, between which and that section a bracelet is adapted to extend to be gripped by a move- A vso shaped sections, between which and the bottom wall of the section the bracelet is adapted to extend, an offset portion carried by Saidgripper for engaging the bracelet and forcing it against the bottom wall of the section to secure the bracelet in place, and

means for securing said sections in folded position with the gripper between them to prevent-release of the gripper. l

3. -In a lexiblebracelet, van extension device comprisingv a plurality of 'sections hlnged together to be unfolded to temporarily lengthen the bracelet, means for securing said bracelet .to one of said sections, a gripper carried by the other of said sectlons to secure the bracelet in adjusted positionl between it and the section, a projection raised from the stock of said gripper, and the next adjacent4 section having an opening to snap over said cure said section in folded position.

4. In a wrist watch .bracelet having two parts, an extension device comprising an end section having a top wall and side walls, another end section having a bottom wall and a gripper member pivoted between the side wall ofrone of said sections and having a. cam-shaped surface for engaging one of said arts to press it into or against a portion o the section for adjustably securing thel part in position, means for securing the other strap part to the other end section, an intermediate section hinged to each of said end sections to be folded be' tween them, the side wall of the end sections and cooperating detent and recess means beprojection to se-l4 tween said intermediate section and one of 'aid end sections for securing them in folded-over position.

5. In a flexible bracelet, an extension device comprising a plurality, of sections hinged together and adapted for unfolding the bracelet, means to temporarily lengthen for securing'one end of said bracelet to one carrying section to another of said sections of said sectlons, a gripper carried by anwhen in folded position. other of said sections for securing the' other In testimony whereof we affix our signa- 10 end of said bracelet' in adjusted position tures.

5' therein, and means carried by said gripper between the outer margins of the gripper 4 EMIL L. JOHNSON.

carrying section 'for s'ecnring the gripper OLOF LUNDSTEN. 

